“We are detective
We are select
We are detective
Come to collect” (The Thompson Twins, 1983)
The Thompson Twins were named after the bumbling detectives in the Adventures of Tintin books, which were also a TV show. The Crab with The Golden Claws was my favourite. I would run in from playing in the street to watch it. I can still hear the intro: “Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin: The Crab with The Golden Claws”. See my images of a Thompson Twin model which Jan kindly bought me and my Tintin book which I bought on eBay.
But these Thompson Twins were very different. These started as a new wave outfit, formed in a squat full on left wing anarchic values. In my mind I have them bracketed with the Raincoats and the Mekons, who were similar new wave acts of the time. They were a large band comprising seven members, fronted by Tom Bailey on vocals and synth, which he was apparently just learning to play, Alannah Currie on vocals and percussion and Joe Leeway on vocals, percussion, synths and guitars. The other members were Chris Bell (drums), Peter Dodd (guitar, synths, percussion), John Roog (guitar) and Matthew Seligman (bass). Thomas Dolby would sometimes accompany them on synth. It was this seven piece Thompson Twins that I saw at Dunelm House in early 1982.
I remember the set as being very rhythmic, verging on dance, with lots of drums and percussion, and that there was much running about the stage by everyone. This was at the time of their second album Set which featured the single “In the Name of Love”. “In the Name of Love” was a dance hit, particularly in the US, and encouraged the band to follow a dancie/pop direction. Shortly after Set the band split and was reduced to the trio of Bailey, Currie and Leeway. Big success was to follow.
In early 1983 the new slimmed down Thompson Twins released their third album Quick Step and Side Kick. The album was much more of a slick pop/dance record and reached No 2 in the UK charts. It also gave them four UK singles chart entries with “Love on Your Side” (No. 9), “We Are Detective” (No. 7; I often wonder if this was a further reference to Tintin and his sidekicks the detectives The Thompson Twins), “Watching” (No. 33) and “Hold Me Now” (No. 4).
The Thompson Twins had made the transition from a new wave act living in a squat to massive international success. Their Side Kicks tour sold out everywhere. I saw them when the tour called at Newcastle City Hall. A fun show, all the hits, and very different from the band that I had seen only one year previously.
Roll-on 40 years and the Thompson Twins are back (well one of them anyway). Lead singer and front man Tom Bailey announced his new tour thus: “Thompson Twins Tom Bailey has today announced a major headline UK tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic eighties’ album ‘Into the Gap‘. The Thompson Twins are widely regarded as one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s and provided the soundtrack to many people’s lives during that incredible era of music.
On the seven date UK tour in May 2024, Tom will perform Into the Gap the 1984 lauded number 1 album in full. The album which has sold over five million copies worldwide spawned the distinctive new wave singles ‘Hold Me Now’, ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘You Take Me Up’, ‘Sister of Mercy’ and ‘The Gap’.”
“Along with the album Tom will also perform Thompson Twin favourites including ‘If You Were Here’, ‘Lies’, ‘Lay Your Hands on Me’, ‘In the Name of Love’ and many more. Of the new tour Tom said: “Unbelievably, it’s the 40th anniversary of ‘Into the Gap’ next year, so I’m especially looking forward to touring the UK and playing all those songs along with some other favourites. Hope to see you there!” Tom’s Into the Gap 40th anniversary tour follows major festivals appearances around the world and is his first major UK headline tour since 2018.”
And so it was that Jan, and I were in The Glasshouse to witness Tom Bailey and all-female band perform those classic hits. Support came from China Crisis who I recently saw at The Fire Station. I remember some of the better known songs such as “Black Man Ray”, “Wishful Thinking” and “King in a Catholic Style”, but to my shame have to admit that I recalled little else about this band, until the recent performance I attended. We were once again treated to a set of greatest hits including the aforementioned “King in a Catholic Style” and “Black Man Ray”.
Tom performed the concert in two sets, each one containing a group of great hits. He was visibly proud and obviously enjoying returning to the limelight. Hit after hit followed. Tom started the proceedings straight into those classic songs with “In the Name of Love”, “Lay Your Hands on Me” and some which were less familiar to me. He concluded the first set with a song which was by “One of my favourite bands”, Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” bringing back memories of seeing Talking Heads “back in the day” at Newcastle Polytechnic (with, I think, Dire Straits as support, no less) and later at Newcastle City Hall, when they became more mainstream.
The second set contained more hits: “Sister of Mercy”, “You Take Me Up”, “Doctor! Doctor!”, closing with “Hold Me Now”. Fantastic. It really took me back. The encore included the aforementioned “We Are Detective” and “Love on Your Side”. I really enjoyed it, even though the electronic 80s is not my favourite era/genre. Tom, you did credit to those old hits. Many thanks to Jan for the photos and Chris for manipulating the site as usual.
Set One: In the Name of Love; Science Fiction; Lies; Lay Your Hands on Me; Runaway; If You Were Here; Shooting Star; Psycho Killer.
Set Two: The Gap; Day After Day; Sister of Mercy; No Peace for the Wicked; You Take Me Up; Who Can Stop the Rain; Doctor! Doctor!; Hold Me Now.
Encore: We Are Detective; Storm on the Sea; Love on Your Side.
It is some years since I had the pleasure of seeing China Crisis. I recall seeing them in the 1980s supporting simple minds at Newcastle City Hall and (I think, but can’t be certain) at Redcar Coatham Bowl one Sunday night, when I used to go there regularly in the late 1970s and 1980s.
From the fire station website: “A welcome return to The Fire Station for China Crisis [now how did I miss out on that one?] China Crisis were never your run-of-the-mill 80s pop band. Formed in Liverpool by singer Gary Daly and guitarist Eddie Lundon, they distilled their love of David Bowie and Steely Dan into an exquisitely melancholy post-punk sound that saw them win their just chart rewards. Has there ever been a more wistful Top 10 hit than the charming Wishful Thinking?”
“Their hero Walter Becker – of Steely Dan fame – was so impressed he even became a band member back in 1985, producing and playing on Top 10 album Flaunt the Imperfection, and returning for 1989’s hugely acclaimed Diary of a Hollow Horse. And, all the while, the hits kept rolling in… Christian, Black Man Ray and King in a Catholic Style all made their way into the UK Top 20.”
This tour was billed as the 40th anniversary of their album Fire and Steel and the first half of the evening was spent taking this through this LP (or at least they were LPs in my day) track by track with Gary Daly explaining and discussing the history of each song in a quite comical and entertaining manner. The two main members of the band clearly remain very close friends and the banter between them was extremely funny.
After a short break and time for a pint of Guinness in the Engine Room bar next door, we were treated to a set of greatest hits including the aforementioned “King in a Catholic Style” and “Black Man Ray”. By now everyone was up on their feet dancing and singing along, very much under the direction of Gary. The entire concert was accompanied by some stunning visuals on the screen above the band, taken from video of China Crisis in their 1980s prime. It was interesting to compare the young lads in the video images with the more mature guys standing in front, and talking, to us.
Elaine and I both agreed it was an excellent concert and a great night out. I ran into a few old friends which is always nice and it was good to catch up with people. A lovely evening, with a fun band (much underrated) in a great venue. I was back home and in bed within 30 minutes. Magic. A perfect Saturday night out.
Setlist: Set 1. The album Working With Fire and Steel: When the Piper Calls; Hanna Hanna; Animals in Jungles; Here Comes a Raincloud ; Wishful Thinking; Tragedy and Mystery; Papua; The Gates of Door to Door; The Soul Awakening
If you asked me, I would have said that I’d seen China Crisis a few times, however my ticket collection consist of only one stub, from a gig at Newcastle Mayfair, which probably took place in the early to mid 80s. I have vague memories of seeing them at Redcar Coatham Bowl as well, but that could well be a figment of my imagination. The band had some pretty pleasant tunes; I remember Wishful Thinking, King in a Catholic Style and Black Man Ray, in particular. In my head China Crisis sit in the same box as Aztec Camera and Talk Talk. Not sure what strange logic makes me place the three bands together, but there we go. Of the three bands, Talk Talk were, in my view the strongest, and were just great live; I will report on them another day. I’ve just played Black Man Ray on youtube to remind myself of China Crisis. Good song.
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